Where Was Tombstone Filmed? Every Major Location Explained

The 1993 Kurt Russell movie "Tombstone" is one of the most beloved Westerns of all time thanks to its incredible and expansive cast, some truly unforgettable moments, and tons of quotable lines. The film is a semi-historical account of the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the events leading up to it, following lawman Wyatt Earp (Russell), his brothers, and his friend Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) in their battles with the cold-blooded Cowboys, as led by Curly Bill (Powers Booth). It's somewhat historically accurate, though it definitely sacrifices authenticity for a bit of John Ford-style movie magic. But what about the film's shooting locations? Did it trade in the real Tombstone, Arizona for the hills of Hollywood?

Thankfully, the answer is no, and the gorgeous desert vistas in "Tombstone" are all really in Arizona ... though not necessarily in or right around Tombstone itself. After all, the town had changed a bit in the century or so that had passed since the Earp's heyday when the movie entered production. So instead of filming right in Tombstone, the movie "Tombstone" was filmed at a couple of local movie ranches and one of Arizona's national forests, keeping it visually authentic even when the story occasionally veered off path. 

Instead of trying to make the more contemporary Tombstone look like its past self, the film's production team rebuilt some of the town's more well-known establishments and attempted to recreate Tombstone of the early 1880s at the Mescal Movie Set in Benson, Arizona. The Western town at Mescal Movie Set was first built in 1968 and was modified throughout the years for different Western movies and shows, including "Little House on the Prairie," "The Outlaw Josey Wales," "Gunsmoke," and "Bonanza." 

Though it caused the production budget to balloon during an already chaotic shoot, rebuilding a section of Tombstone in Mescal paid off big time. Tombstone town landmarks like the Can Can Restaurant, the Grand Hotel, the Oriental Saloon, and C.S. Fly's were all reproduced in addition to Allen Street and the legendary O.K. Corral. About 60% of "Tombstone" was shot at Mescal, which is still a working movie set with shows and movies filming there each year. Fans who want to see the sets for themselves can do so, as Mescal offers Historical Film Tours whenever the set isn't closed for filming. (The schedule is available on its website.)

When "Tombstone" was being filmed, Mescal was part of the larger Old Tucson Studios just outside of Tucson, Arizona. Hence, for some of the more complicated scenes, production moved over to Old Tucson. As luck had it, there were structural elements to Old Tucson, like a (rather short) working rail for train cars and an old Spanish-style mission, that were perfect for filming some of the big scenes in "Tombstone" (including the members of the Earp family all arriving in Tucson by train and the Mexican wedding massacre by the Cowboys at the mission).

Sadly, a fire destroyed most of the "Tombstone" sets at Old Tucson Studios. However, some have been rebuilt, while a full-scale Western theme park was later established on the site, allowing guests to visit, see cowboy shows, and take old west desert tours. While Mescal has more original sets from the film remaining, fans who want to re-enact their favorite "Tombstone" moments may still do so at Old Tucson (though I'm sure the park's staff are really sick of hearing "I'm your huckleberry").

Speaking of huckleberries, Doc Holliday's big climactic shootout with Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn) was filmed at Babacomari Ranch in Elgin, Arizona. The ranch scenes with Harry Hooker (Charlton Heston) were filmed there as well, lending real desert authenticity to these dramatic moments. And while Kilmer got to really chew the scenery for a healthy chunk of his screen time, the gorgeous location for the big shootout and Ringo's death probably helped him make the most of it.

There were other scenes filmed at the ranch that were lost amidst a changeover in director during filming, as incoming helmer George P. Cosmatos cut footage of cowboy extras rollicking around the ranch. Be that as it may, the parts that remained fit perfectly into the overall picture. The footage captured at Babacomari is especially beautiful, which is probably why the location is currently used for weddings and events. Still, there were a few scenes in the movie shot elsewhere that proved to be even more stunning.

For some of the wilder nature scenes in "Tombstone," the film's crew needed access to really untouched land. Fortunately, there was nowhere better than Coronado National Forest, which has both rolling hills and vast canyons. Scenes with the Cowboys hiding out in the desert canyons were shot in Sabino Canyon, while romantic scenes featuring Wyatt and Josephine (Dana Delany) on horseback were filmed on Mount Lemmon, just north of Tucson. With such gorgeous scenery to play in, it's really no wonder that Russell hijacked one of the film's horses one day for a joyride. Who wouldn't want to feel the wind in your hair and sun on your face from atop a horse in some of the most lush cowboy country around?

While none of "Tombstone" was really shot in Tombstone or the surrounding area, at least two members of the cast got a chance to visit when they went about giving each other some very appropriate wrap gifts. In a move matching their characters, Russell and Kilmer each gifted each other a bit of land, though Russell's overlooks Tombstone while Kilmer's is a grave plot in its famous cemetery. It's apparent from watching "Tombstone" that they understood the assignment, but clearly, they really understood the assignment.